Applicator tool for joint securing elements



June 26, 1951 a. GREEN 2,558,131

APPLICATOR TOOL FOR JOINT SECURING ELEMENTS Filed Nov. 26, 1948 2Sheet-Sheet 1 I ENTOR. 8, M1

June 26, 1951 L. B. GREEN APPLICATOR TOOL FOR JOINT SECURING ELEMENTSINVENTOR. km. 6.. Wu

2 Sheets-Sheet z Filed Nov. 26, 1948 Patented June 26, 1951 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE APPLICATO'R TOOL FOR J OINT SECURING ELEMENTS LeeB. Green, Lakewood, Ohio Application November 26, 19.48, Serial No.62,033

6' Claims. 1

My invention relates to an applicator-tool and method of making jointsbetween a pair of penetrable elements and relates more particularly to atool adapted to releasably apply a tubular oppositely pronged securingelement into penetrating, holding relationship with a pair of suchelements to join the same.

In my previously filed applications for Letters Patent, respectively,Serial No. 737,494 filed March 27, 1947, now abandoned, of which thisapplication is a continuation in part, and Serial No. 47,232 filedSeptember 1, 1948, noW abandoned, I have disclosed varying forms allsubstantially tubular, of a new type of securing element whereofopposite end edges are deeply serrated to provide a pair of oppositelyextending sets of sharply pointed prongs, each set of which is adaptedto penetrate a relatively different one of two wood or like penetrablebodies so that opposing surfaces of said bodies may be disclosed inclosely abutted relationship with the securing element preferably,completely submerged in the material of the respective elements wherebya tight, substantially permanent joint of the two elements is achieved.

The objects of my invention and the invention itself will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains byreference to the following description of two different embodiments ofthe said applicator tool, wherein reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings illustrating the said embodiments and whereof:

Fig. 1 is a pictorial view of an applicator tool which is a firstembodiment of my invention, the view showing a tool body and handletherefore and also showing by dotted lines lowermost prong end portionsprojecting downwardly from said body.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool body of the preferablyintegrally formed tool body, a fragment only of the handle being shown.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, diametrical, sectional view of a substantiallyshort, longitudina ly split tubular element having a short uppermostinturned retaining flange at its upper end and the lower portion of thetube being sharply serrated throughout its circumferential extent.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the element of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, diametrical view of a tubular element serving as ahandle for the element of Fig. 3 and an upper portion of its wall beingdownwardly notched at intervals around said wall to divide the upperportion of the tube into a series of tongues, each characterized byhaving its uppermost edge formed to provide a radially inwardly extendinshort retaining flange and the interior surface of the lower portion ofthe tube being provided with a plurality of parallel verticallyextending grooves and there being also a circumferential groove at theupper ends of said vertical grooves.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the element of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view partly in side elevationand partly in diametrical,vertical, sectional view of the tool body together with the elements ofFigs. 3' and Er assembled thereon and a retainer element having itsupper portion interiorly fitted between the element of Fig. 5 and anouter wall portion of the tool body and with its prongs beingintermeshed with the serrations of the element ofFig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a vertical, diametrical, sectional view of fragments of thetool body, the elements of Figs. 3 and 5 and showing a. pair ofrelatively oppositely extending upper and lower prongs of a retainerelement which is disposed as recited in connection with Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a tool which is a second embodimentof my invention and which comprises an uppermost handle and a lowermosttool body, the latter being broken away to expose interiorly disposedparts including the upper end portion of a retainer element herein shownin elevation, other of said parts being shown in vertical, diametricalsection.

. Fig. 10 is a vertical, diametrical, sectional view of the tool of.Fig. 9 with the same parts as shown in Fig. 9,.but with the upper endportion of the handle broken away.

Fig. 11 is a. vertical, diametrical, sectional view of a tubular bodyfor the tool of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a vertical, diametrical, sectional view of a tubular adaptorinsertable, from below, in the body of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13v is a. tubular element having a lowermost serrated edgetelescopable over the lower end of the adaptor of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the element of Fig. 13 together with asecuring pin shown as adaptedto be projected through an aperture of thewall of said element.

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of a bolt having an upper endportionprovided with screw threads and ahead at its lower end.

Fig. 16 is a substantially perspective view of the retainer elementadapted to be operated upon by the tools of each of the aboveillustrated embodiments of my invention.

Referring now to the first embodiment of my invention illustrated inFigs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the tool body I is preferably turned from asolid round bar of steel being axially recessed from the bottom end asindicated at 2 and its outer surface being formed in the manner shown inFig. 2, said outer surface comprising a driving head end- 3" having anuppermost flat surface 4 of circular form adapted to receive drivingblows from a hammer and the lateral outer surface comprising successiveannular grooves 5, B, and I, the groove at 6 affording a planular lowersurface portion at 8. The groove 5 is so dimensioned and formed as toreceive an end loop 9 of a handle I which may be of any desired form butis conveniently and economically constructed, as shown, of a length ofheavy steel wire II, the ends of which are preferably welded or brazedtogether at I2 to make the element integrally continuous, the portionsat I 3 being bent inwardly during placement of the handle on the body Ito cause the looped end 9 to tightly hold said body. The ring 30, ofFig. 3, preferably has one wall portion longitudinally split at I4 andis provided with the short inturned flange I5 at its upper end andhaving its lower end portion serrated as indicated at I6 to provide aseries of prongs I1 disposed in circular relation, and is fitted ontothe lower end portion I8 of the body with said flange I5 resilientlysnapped into place within the body groove I, the steel material of thesplit ring 30 being sufficiently resilient as to cause it to retractwith considerable force after being forced over the lowermost bodyportion l8 and then pushed upwardly to fit the flange I5 within saidgroove 1.

The ring 50, telescoped over the lowermost body portions I8 and 20 andalso over the split ring 30 with the uppermost tongues I9 resilientlydeflected outwardly when the uppermost inturned flanges 2I are forcedover the outer surface of the body portion 20, resiliently retracts topress said flanges snugly within the groove 6 with the planular lowersurfaces of said flanges being in tight fitting engagement with theupper planular surface of the shelf-surface 8 of the body groove 6.

The tool being completely assembled as described, the operator graspinga securing element such as that shown in Fig. 16 having outturned prongtips and lightly compressing it to close the seam 23, Fig. 16,telescopes it within the lowermost end portion of the tube 56 of Fig. 5,the uppermost set of prongs including those shown at 25 being receivedwithin the serration notches 26 of the element 30 of Fig. 3, and at thesame time, the outturned tips 24 of said uppermost prongs 25 are fittedwithin the longitudinal grooves 21 on the lower portion of the innersurface of the tube 50, said tips being guided by said grooves 21 untilsaid grooves meet and join the circumferential groove 28 formed on theinner surface of the tube 50 at the upper extremity of said longitudinalgrooves by providing outwardly disposed groove spaces for receiving theoutwardly deflected tip ends 24 as perhaps best shown in Fig. 8, thevertically extending body portions 24a of the upper set of prongs havingtheir lateral side edges interfitted with the lateral side edges of theprongs H of the split tubular element 30 as shown at a and b in Fig. '7.At the same time, the inner surface portions of the vertically extendingbody portions of the upper set of prongs 25 are fitted snugly againstthe outer surface 29 of the lowermost portion I8 of the body I.

' As indicated, in Figs. 3 and 7 at EU, the tips of the downwardlyextending prongs i! of the ring 30 are not continued to a sharp point,the tips thereof, as it were, being cut away, so that when the lateralsurfaces of said prongs are engaged as at a and b, Fig. 7, with thelateral surfaces of the upwardly extending prongs 25 of the securingelement I60, there will be a space between the blunted prong ends 3| ofthe element '4 30 and the apices of the inter-prong serration spaces ofsaid securing element.

By such expedient tight fitting wedging engagement between the securingelement prong sides and the sides of the prong I! of the element 3!] isbetter insured.

After telescoping a securing element such as shown in Fig. 16, into itsdownwardly facing annular mouth portion 34, as described, the tool bodyis moved to operative position with respect to a wood or like penetrablebody, so that the lowermost prong tip ends 35 are placed against thesurface of such body, and then hammer blows directed against theuppermost surface 4 of the tool body, will cause the lowermost set ofprongs 33 to become imbedded within the wood body and concurrentlyproceeding toward their tips, the prongs will be progressivelyincreasingly spread outwardly to achieve an outward clenching effectwithin said penetrable body, the driving being continued until one-halfof the longitudinal length of the element of I60 is submerged in thebody.

Thereafter, the tool body is lifted leaving the securing element halfsubmerged in the penetrable body in readiness for another wood body tobe pressed or driven onto the oppositely extending set of prongs whichare shown uppermost in Figs. 7 and 16, whereupon the two penetrablebodies are joined by said securing element, the latter being submergedpartially in the one body and partially in the other, and not beingvisible after the joint is made.

Referring now to the second embodiment of my invention illustrated inFigs. 9 to 15, inclusive, the handle I90 is provided with a handle shankIIO, provided at its upper end 40 with a driving face adapted to receivehammer blows and to transmit the force of such blows to the tool bodyIEII and to the upper end of which at I02 a reduced threaded end portionI03 of the shank III] is screw-threaded until a shoulder portion I ofsaid shank is brought into jamming engagement with an annular uppersurface portion of said tool body.

The tool body has an axial bore whose least diameter is at a medialportion I 01 where the wall of the body is substantially thickened bythe annular radial flange portion I98. A tubular plug I09 is thentelescoped into the lowermost portion of the body bore, said plug havingsuccessive portions III, H2, and H3 which are respectively of least,greatest, and intermediate diameters, and the bore of said plugcomprising a portion I I4 which is of least diameter and another portionII5 which is of greatest diameter, a lateral pinreceiving recess IE6being disposed within the lateral surface of the portion H3. Prior toinsertion of the plug with its serrated lower edge I25 disposedlowermost until the aperture I25 of the wall of said tube can be broughtinto alignv the plug is engaged with the oppositely facing annularshoulder I it of the body IYH and the bore portion H6 is of the samediameter as the body bore portion IE3! and is axially aligned therewithso that the threaded end H9 of a bolt 12! may be successively projectedthrough the plug mouth H5, the plug bore H6, and the bore portion IQ? ofthe body and then screw-threaded as at l22 into a threaded recess #23extending from the lower end of the handle [Gil axially thereof, wherebysaid bolt may rigidly secure said plug in place within said body mouth.

As above described, the tool of my second embodiment is now completelyassembled, ready for the reception of a securing element such as thatshown in Fig. 16 at I66 and as in the case of the embodiment previouslydescribed, the upper set of prongs of the securing element IE0 isprojected between opposing lateral surfaces of the lower end .of thebody bore and the lower end of the plug N3, the lower portion of thebody bore being provided with a series of longitudinally extendingrelatively interspaoed grooves I32 for the reception of the outturnedtips 2 2- of said uppermost prongs, the upper half of said securingelement being thus confined with their tips in said grooves betweeninwardly facing surfaces of the body bore at the lower end of the bodyand the outwardly facing lateral surfaces of the plug portion H3.

Operation of the tool constituting my second embodiment is substantiallythe same as that described for my said first embodiment, the onlydifference being the fact that the elongated axially extending handleshank l Ill of my second embodiment affords a diiferent kind though amore expensively constructed hand grip, both embodiments affording asimilarly formed annular recess at its lower end for the reception ofthe tube-like article of Fig. 16.

Having thus described my invention in two different embodiments, I amaware that numerous and extensive departures may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A tool for driving a first of a'pair of oppositely longitudinallydirected sets of prongs of a thin-walled band-like article, of the typedescribed whose prongs have acutely converging side edges and radiallyoutwardly deflected tips, into a resistively penetrable material such aswood; said tool comprising, in combination, a metal body having one endso formed as to provide an impact surface and its other end beingprovided with an annular socket recess, said recess having end wallsurfaces of a form substantially complementary to and abuttinglyengageable with lateral edge portions of one set of the prongs of saidarticle when one longitudinal end portion of said article is telescopedinto said socket recess, and having a pair of inner and outerlongitudinally extending annular surfaces adapted to snugly embraceinner and outer side portions of the said set of prongs, to hold thesame in said socket, whereby the prongs at the other end of the devicemay be driven into penetrating relation to a penetrable body in responseto hammer blows directed against the said impact surface at the oppositeend of the tool body.

2. An applicator tool substantially as set forth in claim 1, adapted toapply devices of the type described whose prong ends are outwardly bentat an obtuse angle, characterized by the recited outer longitudinallyextending wall of the recited annular recess being so formed as toafford a circularly disposed set of longitudinally extending grooveswhich are relatively laterally interspaced a distance corresponding tothe corresponding interspacing between the circularly disposed prongs Ofthe upper set of prongs, whereby said outwardly bent tips of such prongsmay be snugly received in said grooves.

3. An applicator tool for metallic bank-like articles of the typedescribed, each having its two ends serrated to provide a pair of setsof oppositely directed V-shaped prongs, which is adapted to force onesaid set of prongs into penetrating relation to a body of penetrablematerial, comprising, in combination, a steel or like body having animpact end and means forming with said body a unitary portion of thetool, adapted to provide an annular recess for the opposite end, saidrecess opening in a direction opposite to its said impact end andcomprising an end Wall of substantially such form as to permit a prongedend of a device insertable in the recess to have the spaces between itsprongs occupied by substantially V-shaped projections of said end wall,said recess being Of such radial width throughout substantially itsentire circular extent that the inner and outer sides or a serrated endportion of a said serrated band which is projected within the recess issnugly embraced on both inner and outer surfaces by confronting lateralwalls of the recess.

4. A tool for driving a first of a pair of oppositely longitudinallydirected sets of prongs of a thin-walled band-like article, of the typedescribed whose prongs have acutely converging side edges and radiallyoutwardly deflected tips, into a resistively penetrable material such aswood, comprising a tool body formed to provide an end recess of annularform Whose depth is at least equal to the longitudinal extent of thesec-- 0nd of said pair of set of prongs, said recess and its oppositeradially interspaced inner and outer lateral walls being so interspaoed,throughout their annular extent, as to substantially telescopablyfittingly receive the said second of said pair of set of prongs, and theend wall surface of said recess being generally of such form as toprovide an annularly extending series of tool prongs, each tool pronghaving a pair of inclined side edge surfaces which are convergent in thesame longitudinal direction and substantially at the same acuteangularity as are adjacent sides of adjacent prongs of said second ofsaid pair of sets of prongs, to adapt each of said end-wall tool prongsto be fittingly wedged between said adjacent prong sides of said secondpair of prongs.

5. The tool substantially as set forth in claim 4, characterized by theradially outer lateral wall of the recess having a series ofsubstantially radially narrow longitudinally extending grooves which areso annularly interspaoed and of such slight depth as only to receive theoutwardly deflected tips of said second set of prongs.

6. The tool substantially as set forth in claim 4, characterized by eachof said tool prongs being truncated to aficrd a blunted end surfacetherefor, whereby said tool prong end surface is longitudinallyinterspaoed from the region of junction between said pair of adjacentrelatively convergent sides of adjacent prongs of said second set.

LEE B. GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Apr. 23, 1892Number

